High cholesterol: Pain or a tingling in the hands indicates a major risk of condition

Cholesterol is not intrinsically harmful, in fact, your body needs it to build healthy cells. High levels of cholesterol are harmful, however, because it causes fatty deposits to develop in your blood vessels. This increases your risk of heart disease, a major cause of death in the UK and worldwide.

Interruptions in the blood flow to certain parts of the body makes a tingling sensation felt in the hands

The high cholesterol levels in the blood make the blood flow thick and can affect the normal flow of blood in the nerves and cause tingling.

There are a variety of other reasons for the tingling in your hands which include drinking too much alcohol or type 2 diabetes.

It’s important to carefully monitor yourself for any other warning signs of high cholesterol.

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Good HDL cholesterol picks up bad low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and takes it to the liver to be broken down and passed out of the body.

Too much bad LDL cholesterol in the blood contributes to fatty build-ups in the arteries – also known as atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis narrows the arteries and increases a person’s risk for heart attack, stroke and peripheral artery disease.

Lloyds Pharmacy pharmacist Pareena Patel said: “High cholesterol is simply a condition associated with having too much cholesterol in your body, which is a fatty substance.

“High Cholesterol can be caused by eating too much fatty food, not exercising enough, being overweight and smoking and drinking excessively.

“It can result in your blood vessels getting blocked which means you are more likely to have heart problems or a stroke.

“High cholesterol does not usually show symptoms and you can only find out if you have it from a blood test which may need to be done by your GP or pharmacist.”

Eating saturated fat, found in animal products, and trans fats, found in some commercially baked cookies, crackers and microwave popcorn, can raise a person’s cholesterol levels.

Foods that are high in cholesterol, such as red meat and full-fat dairy products, will also increase cholesterol.

A Mediterranean diet is often recommended for those concerned about their levels and wanting to lower them.

Exercise is also key in helping to lower levels and reduce serious health risks.

source: express.co.uk